February was a roller-coaster of a month for me (and I don't like roller coasters). I think what made it especially brutal, is that the"high points" were only elevated compared to the depth of the "lows". I thought I was more resilient, resourceful and had developed skills that would provide faster rebounds. Fortunately, about 10 days into the month I realized I wasn't employing one of the tools that always helps pull me up, engage and inspire me - and that is stories and insights of those I respect and admire. So, while I started late, I finished strong, and gained some stable elevation in my perspective and very helpful insights along the way.
This February I read 11 books, discovered The Huberman Lab podcast (thanks to my brother) and attended the GrowthDay meetings from Brendan Burchard's evolving HPX platform.
Here's the roundup:
Words matter; grammar matters. This author illustrates that how we write, shapes not only how and what we communicate, but how and what we think. A brilliant little book for those who are intrigued by language and psychology.
This is one of those books that highly-effective entrepreneurs seem to reference constantly, and with good reason. It has become the golden-standard to explain contemporary "win-win" business strategy and philosophy. If you are creating businesses that you want to thrive as a result of providing real service and value, this book is invaluable.
Leap First, by Seth Godin ⌚︎⌚︎⌚︎⌚︎
I admit it: I like Seth Godin. I have liked him from the first time I saw him, over 20 years ago, when he caught my attention (I believe he was giving a presentation at Google) with his provoking statement "all marketers are liars". I lost track of him shortly thereafter, but now that I have rediscovered him, I shall not loose track again. He is one of those genuine "good guys" who spends his life trying to help people understand the importance of living a life of creation, expression and listening to and responding to fear in the right ways. His tone and perspective click with me. And, while sometimes it seems his titles might be a different way of saying the same thing, I know he saw a need to say something else, and it will be worth my time to listen.
The Infinite Game, by Simon Sinek ⌚︎⌚︎⌚︎⌚︎⌚︎
Another foundational book from Sinek. This time focused on the fundamental difference between end goals and perpetual play. If you look at life as a game, be aware of whether you are playing to win, or playing to play. How many times have you set your sights on an end goal, only to find when you reached it, whatever thrill that win brought was surprisingly short-lived? Do you have an endless cycle of "accomplished that, now what?"; or "when I reach, do or have ___________, then I will be happy"? What if happiness lies in the art of playing an infinite game?
Healing ADD, by Dr. Daniel Amen ⌚︎⌚︎⌚︎⌚︎
While I still am not convinced ADD and ADHD should be classified as disorders (I view these qualities or tendencies to be more akin to personality traits), I think it is helpful to understand what is happening in distractable minds. If distraction is something you wish to change or control, you need to understand the mechanisms at work first. As are most of Dr. Amen's books, it is a bit repetitive and slow-paced, but the science is solid, and the stories and brain scan data very interesting.
The Practice, by Seth Godin ⌚︎⌚︎⌚︎⌚︎
A more thorough approach to the same concepts as "Leap First". Worthwhile and interesting.
Atomic Habits, by James Clear ⌚︎⌚︎⌚︎⌚︎⌚︎
My absolute favorite of the month! The title and the author's name describe the content pretty well. I cannot think of anyone who would not benefit substantially from giving these ideas their time, attention and implementation.
An in-depth study of dopamine, it's cycles and effects. I found it very helpful in identifying which of my interests are dopamine-driven, which of those are interfering with my pursuits, and how to go about changing or replacing them.
Recommended by my daughter, who read it years ago. This is a would be a wonderful book for the whole family to ready and discuss. I particularly enjoyed the audio very version, since Mildred Taylor reads the "note from the author" at the end and sings the song that inspired the title.
After "Roll of Thunder", I decided to go back to this favorite of mine from middle school. While I greatly enjoyed the story again, it was challenging to listen to for several reasons. It's often hard for me to hear stories read by another, when I have read them myself and created my own characters' voices in my mind. This version was read by Jake Gyllenhaal. I thought he did a fantastic job over all, but I kept "correcting" certain phrases in my mind, the way I thought the characters would say them. I think it is a beautifully-written, emotionally complex story. I love it.
I read this a few months ago, and felt the need to absorb it again to help pull myself out of my distracted, inefficient and ineffective state. An excellent book; I highly recommend.
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